


I've got a thing for women who could kill me in one hit

by mcfuck



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Crushes, F/F, Pining, Sid is only mentioned, Slight Age Difference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 13:26:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12169776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcfuck/pseuds/mcfuck
Summary: "Nyreen/aria/vetra, vetra does some jobs for aria on omega pre-andromeda. maybe she does a particularly good job that deserves a reward, or maybe aria just really really likes her femturs." - @brood-mother.I've been working on this forever but ITS HERE BITCH





	I've got a thing for women who could kill me in one hit

**Author's Note:**

> titles are hard and I Love Women

The life of a smuggler had never been comfortable, or cushy, or safe, but goddamn if it wasn’t entertaining.

Omega had become her primary source of income for the past few months. The place was an absolute goldmine; a flourishing black market, illegal weapons trade, mercenaries, and desperate refugees trying to get their hands on illicit materials or transport off the space station.

Vetra would never call herself morally pure, but she wasn’t willing to stoop to becoming a gun for hire for a few credits. However, she had no problems supplying Omega’s gangs with the weapons they needed.

The infamous Vetra Nyx is removed from the conflict, preferring to stand back in the shadows and watch rather than pick a side. She is the eye of the hurricane, fueling both sides of a merc war by selling to the both of them simultaneously. Weapons, poison, explosives, to anyone who could pay.

She never personally joined the fight, but she never had any qualms with throwing a few sticks on the fire and watching it blaze from afar.

But her regular buyers wouldn’t deal with her neutrality forever. Bloodpack, in particular, was becoming a problem. She could handle a few threatening notes, but she decided that she had enough when the band of mercenaries started sending Vorcha to follow her around Omega, tracking her movements.

Bloodpack wanted Vetra to sell to them exclusively. She was a talented smuggler, a good ally to have, but she could easily become more trouble than she was worth. Sure, Bloodpack got weekly shipments of ammo and top-of-the-line weapon prototypes to test out. But it was damn hard to get an advantage when the other mercenary gangs were getting their upgrades just as fast, all from the same smuggler.

Eventually, she came to the conclusion she could handle a slight decrease in her income if it meant that she wouldn’t have her throat slit by some bloodthirsty merc.

She had almost sealed the deal with Bloodpack, agreeing to become their exclusive supplier in exchange for protection, when she received another offer. A far more appealing offer.

Vetra admired the Queen of Omega shamelessly. She was a woman after her own heart, removed from the pointless conflict of the wards. Aria T’Loak rose above it all, regal, distant and cold; each of the major mercenary gangs a mere a tool for her disposal. She negotiated with Eclipse, threatened the battle-hardened leader of Bloodpack fearlessly, brokered temporary alliances between the Blue Suns and their rivals. Under Aria, they were no more than pawns on a chessboard.

When Aria’s men had approached Vetra with a business proposal, she couldn’t agree fast enough. Omega’s ruler was a dangerous woman to work with, but that was a risk that Vetra was willing to take.

Aria offered her protection from Omega’s various gangs in exchange for information, weapons, and her loyalty. The Asari paid well, and her employees were held in high regard on Omega (they were feared more than they were respected, but there’s always been a fine line between respect and fear). Becoming one of Aria’s agents guaranteed more security than Bloodpack could ever offer to her. She accepted.

Finally, she could return to her apartment in the wards without a sneering Vorcha tailing her in the hallways. Aria’s generous salary let her save up credits for small comforts, like proper scrub brushes to clean her plates, and new clothes for Sid. Finding food that wasn’t freeze-dried or canned was a rare luxury on Omega, but the look on Sid’s face when Vetra was able to bring home real dextro-based chocolate was worth the extra credits.

Aria was not a lenient boss. Sick days were strictly regulated and rarely given, and there was no room for mistakes when it came to smuggling Alliance weapons. The barrel of every gun had to be scrubbed spotless, all serial numbers or indicators of the previous owner had to be filed away. Weapons like these would be used in gang wars, precise assassination or violent, passion-fueled murders. It had to be guaranteed that these firearms could not be traced back to where they were stolen from, and, more importantly, the turian selling them.

From day one of Vetra’s employment, she was a model henchwoman. Aria would tell her to jump and she wouldn’t even pause to ask how high. She rose through the ranks at the speed of light, earning her place as Aria’s left-hand turian with blood, sweat, and tears. When Omega’s ruler needed someone dead, Vetra would find her just the right person to do the job. When she needed dirt on the next politician she planned on blackmailing, she’d turn to Vetra for the latest gossip from the Citadel.

Vetra liked to think that Aria had grown fond of her over the few months that she’s worked for her. With the Asari’s help, Vetra was able to afford her own modest ship to make supply runs and trips to the Citadel. On rare, precious occasions, she’d receive a smile after a job well done or a playful scratch behind the mandibles.

Every light in the Afterlife could be cranked up to its highest setting, and Aria’s smile was still the brightest thing in the room. The music could be pounding with enough bass that Vetra could feel it rattle her plates, but Aria’s voice still swelled over the cacophony of sound.

Everything about Aria demanded her attention, and Vetra was happy to give it. But even with Aria’s talent for hogging the spotlight, Vetra still couldn’t help but notice her associate.

Turian, female, taller than Vetra. Always hooded, rarely speaking. Nyreen Kandros was a watcher, standing in Aria’s shadow and easily going unnoticed.

The older Turian wasn’t always a silent observer though. Vetra had seen Nyreen and her boss interact in two ways: either playfully flirting and exchanging subtle insults, or arguing so violently that it seemed to rattle Omega to its core. Biotics crackled in the air so fiercely it was almost tangible. Furniture flew, glasses shattered against the wall and the shrill sound of fury in Nyreen’s sub vocals as she shouted was enough to make Vetra shiver. Not in fear, but in anticipation. Spirits, she would gladly take the place of one of those bar stools if it meant that either of Omega’s queens would throw her against the wall with their biotics.

As always, Aria eventually took notice of Vetra’s interest. Interactions that were supposed to be business exchanges were now riddled with subtle teases, the brush of arms, a gentle tweak of Vetra’s mandible, a hand resting on her lower back as they discussed the next shipment of illegal cargo.

Vetra was overwhelmed, embarrassed and flattered by the attention. Even more so when Nyreen started to join in on the fun, indulging in more familiar Turian styles of flirting through subtle changes in the tone of sub vocals, letting the spurs on her legs brush with Vetra’s when they sat beside each other on Aria’s couch or touching their wrists together briefly as a greeting.

The sway of Aria’s hips was enchanting, mesmerizing, the sound of her voice so very close to Vetra’s auditory canal made her head spin. But by the spirits, if Aria was shining diamond in the rough, then Nyreen was absolutely dazzling in Vetra’s eyes.

Nyreen’s sharp eyes noticed every embarrassed twitch of Vetra’s mandibles, no matter how much her posture and voice suggested unwavering confidence. Vetra had standards of practice altering her body language to fool other species, but not her own kind. Nyreen saw right through her act, and the knowing look in her eyes made Vetra feel like the older woman could stare right into her soul.

Spirits save her, this is the best job she’s ever had.

**Author's Note:**

> @brood-mother on tumblr is just really fucking good at prompts ok? you can also read this on my tumblr, @stonebutchturians


End file.
